Origins Set Reviews

In summary, I really like this set. It is a great pairing with M15. Both sets have great artifact support, which has been somewhat lacking in Tarkir Block, Theros Block, Return to Ravnica Block, and Innistrad Block. A third core set that could be made a three set cube with M15 and Origins is M12. 

Here are links to all of the Origins Set Review posts.

1. The Plainswalkers
http://mtgadventures.blogspot.com/2015/07/origins-set-review-plainswalkers.html

2. Angels and Thopters
http://mtgadventures.blogspot.com/2015/07/origins-set-review-angels-and-thopters.html

3. Elves and the Multicolored Cycle
http://mtgadventures.blogspot.com/2015/07/origins-set-review-elves-and.html

4. Spell Mastery
http://mtgadventures.blogspot.com/2015/07/origins-set-review-spell-mastery.html

5. Other Rares and Mythics (White and Blue)
http://mtgadventures.blogspot.com/2015/07/origins-set-review-other-rares-and.html

6. Other Rares and Mythics (Black and Red)
http://mtgadventures.blogspot.com/2015/07/origins-set-review-other-rares-and_4.html

7. Other Rares and Mythics (Green and Artifacts)
http://mtgadventures.blogspot.com/2015/07/origins-set-review-other-rares-and_38.html

8. Additional Commons and Uncommons
http://mtgadventures.blogspot.com/2015/07/origins-set-review-additional-commons.html

Origins Set Review: Additional Commons and Uncommons

For a review of the limited environment I recommend sites that have really good limited players review each set. I am really bad at limited! Here are the other commons and uncommons that caught my attention for constructed.

Blessed Spirits: yet another card that should have been in Theros, the enchantment block without meaningful enchantment support.

Murder Investigation: a reprint from Return to Ravnica block that deserves a second look now that white/black warriors are a thing.

Consul's Lieutenant: I like the 'other attacking creatures' clause.

Clash of Wills: functional reprint of Syncopate minus the exile clause.

Anchor of the Aether: very useful tempo buster.

Faerie Miscreant: it would be awesome to play Faeries in Standard, but we are not there yet. In Modern with flicker effects, the ETB card draw could be abused.

Sphinx's Tutelage: I really like the repeatable milling effect on this card.

Jhessian Thieve: 'draw a card,' enough said.

Tormented Thoughts: A reprint worth a second look.

Malakir Cullblade: as a 2 drop, this card can be abused to put a lot of counters on it.

Touch of Moonglove: seems like more than a limited battle trick with so many features.

Shadows of the Past: in Modern this enchantment can be abused in a mono-black mana rich deck.

 

Consecrated by Blood: in a white/black tokens deck this aura could be good.

Revenant: a late drop better for Commander and Standard. Still, if your graveyard is in good shape, this critter can get big.

Cruel Revival: a little heavy for the effect, but its a two-for-one.

Fleshbag Marauder: we now have two cards that are functional reprints in Standard for this effect-this card, and Merciless Executioner.

Call of the Full Moon: it is easy for your opponent to knock it out, but for one or two turns, its a strong effect.

Fiery Conclusion: good when you need to remove something big. If it costs you a goblin token, it is worth it.

Smash to Smithereens: the best old school reprint in this set IMHO. Very good artifact hate in a set that comes with a really good selection of artifacts that are added to the almost as good artifact selection in M15.

Enthralling Victor: great addition to a Sling/Act of Treason Modern build (I had a lot of fun with such a deck a while back).

Goblin Glory Chaser: a one drop that needs to be blocked by two or more creatures (that's what Menace means), with Renown as well-I will take it.

Infectious Bloodlust: not a memorable enchantment until you read the self-tutor clause. Also a bonus way to shuffle your library if you need to.

Acolyte of the Inferno: the additional hit for 2 makes for great chump blocking.

Magmatic Insight: very helpful in a RDW deck if you get too many lands early.

Elemental Bond: in a green ramp deck this enchantment should net you some more card draws.

Joraga Invocation: a little heavy, but a good game ender in Standard.

Zendikar's Roil: reads like a Commander card. A little too heavy for Standard, but could be good.

Might of the Masses: very nice battle trick that can deal some serious damage in the right circumstance.

Valeron Wardens: I want this card in a deck that will get a lot of Renown triggers to draw more cards. The question is how easy it will be to get lots of those triggers in Standard.

Chief of the Foundry: An artifact lord in Standard. Finally!

Prism Ring: low cost trigger for Ajani's Pridemate.

War Horn: Battle Cry on an artifact is very good, even as a 3 drop.

Ramroller: nice addition to a casual artifact deck; to be paired with Juggernaut.

Throwing Knife: nothing special, yet I like the added bonus of a 2 hit to something.

Sigil of Valor: are we getting Exalted in the net block? This artifact is perfect for Exalted.

Mage-Ring Network: in Modern with Voltaic Key this could be a solid mana source for artifacts.

Rogue's Passage: welcome back, old friend.

Origins Set Review: Other Rares and Mythics (Green and Artifacts)

Gaea's Revenge: I like getting more 'can't be countered' cards. We need these in Legacy to ramp down the power of blue. This card is not for that, though. Its a good fattie, it just doesn't have a 'grow really big' effect. It counts as a Limited bomb.

Herald of the Pantheon: as a 2 drop, this is a great card. I see it being useful in Standard and Modern. I read someone's comment on this card and I agree that this card would have been really great in Theros, an enchantment block with no meaningful enchantment support.

Honored Hierarch: I am missing something with this card. At common with Llanowar Elves you get the mana effect for free? Well, its mana of any color, and that is great. On the positive side, if you cast it quickly enough you could have a 1 drop 2/2, but it doesn't get any bigger.

Evolutionary Leap: this is a great build-around card, especially in black/green with lots of graveyard effects. It is a 2 drop, and that is great. Someone needs to break this card in Modern.

Nissa's Revelation: this is a great effect in Commander. I also think it is a great effect in Standard, similar to Interpret the Signs.

Woodland Bellower: much better than generating a 3/3 token when it enters the battlefield. It reads Mythic because you can tutor ANY green non-legendary that is a three drop or less.

Managorger Hydra: make sure you cast a lot of spells and you can boost this creature a lot. I would cast if after casting a Hardened Scales.

Outland Colossus: after this creature is able to deal combat damage to a player, your opponent has a serious problem. That threat alone could make your opponent lose critters to chump blocking to avoid the Renown 6 trigger.

The Great Aurora: notice that the graveyard is not mentioned. A great mythic game ending effect that can go awfully wrong on you. If your opponent has a board full of tokens, you are set; otherwise, its risky. You need to have 50 percent to twice as many permanents on the battlefield as your opponent when you cast this to make sure you don't draw crap to your opponents' great draws. Another Commander all star, seems to me. I would try it in Modern with blue for stalls and black for graveyard good stuff.  

Alhammarret's Archive: awesome effects, definitely mythic. Its a late drop, Commander and maybe Standard constructed. Gaining double life is fine, drawing double is simply fantastic but you need a card to trigger it since the extra card draw is not from your normal once per turn draw.

Pyromancer's Goggles: it would be a great Storm effect if it wasn't a 5 drop. As it is, it is well inline with the concept of having red do more than beat face in five turns or less. This card deserves a build around deck challenge. 

Sword of the Animist: great tutor effect, a must-play IMHO. It could even help to flip Nissa.

Helm of the Gods: a great equipment. Someone needs to break this card in Standard with Theros cards, and in Modern. Why was this card not in Theros block, the enchantment block without meaningful enchantment support, beats me.

Mage-Ring Responder: good beater effect, but you need to spend a lot of mana to trigger it. It reads like a junk rare in constructed and it could have a home in a Commander build.

Orbs of Warding: late effect as a 5 drop and useful only against some colors. Does Commander have a sideboard? If not, junk rare I say.

Origins Set Review: Other Rares and Mythics (Black and Red)

Languish: this card is getting hyped by the sites with writers who sell cards. It reminds me of Collected Company. It will be good in Standard, it will help the secondary market, and once it cycles out of Standard we will never hear of it again.

Erebos's Titan: I want this card bad. It has a home in a Devotion to Black deck in Standard. I am not sure if it is good enough to make Devotion to Black a good Modern deck... that sounds like a stretch. Still, its a 4 drop 5/5 without a drawback, and that reads at least rare, fair for Mythic. It is not Legendary: great!

Demonic Pact: You can only play this card when you are certain the game is yours with it, otherwise, it will lose you the game, which is fair for a 'Pact' card. Its a 4 drop, and that means it will see some fringe Standard play. I don't see it in Modern.

Despoiler of Souls: If it had Haste it would be really something. Without Haste, it will sit for a whole turn after you reanimate it.

Graveblade Marauder: Nice! And its a 3 drop. I want to combo this critter so bad! It has great stats: survives Lightning Bolt, can chump block and live with Deathtouch, and with a graveyard full of critters can win you a game here and there.

Infinite Obliteration: a casual Surgical Extraction (which can be cast for two life and no mana-Phyrexian mana is sooo broken!), great for Standard. I am guessing that Wizards is worried about a specific card that could break the Standard format, and this card is here to make sure that doesn't happen.

Kothophed, Soul Hoarder: its Legendary, but who needs two on the battlefield? In Modern casual with a board wipe this card can draw you a slew of cards. In Standard there's Crux of Fate. It requires a lot of mana to make for a big effect, yet sounds like a lot of fun.

Tainted Remedy: a 3 drop? Wow, this is awesome. Now I need to go on a hunt for all the cards in Modern that can give your opponent life. In Standard there won't be as many that are aggressively costed. I want this card bad.

Priest of the Blood Rite: its not Legendary and it will hit for 7 if it and its token are not blocked. That can be good to great, at least in Standard. I would flicker it in Modern in white black using Restoration Angel and/or Cloudshift. There are many references to Avacyn Restored in this set!

Abbot of Keral Keep: with a lot of Scry this card could be really useful. Its a two-drop, and that makes it very playable. I can even see it in Red Deck Wins (RDW). But you can only use the effect as an Enters the Battlefield (ETB) effect, and that means you get it once unless you flicker it.

Chandra's Ignition: useful board wipe in battlecruiser Standard. But... if you have the biggest creature on the board you are already ahead... I need to think about this one. The 'each opponent' part can win games. It reads like a Commander card, and can do great in Standard constructed.

Avaricious Dragon: great Dragon, should have been in Dragons of Tarkir (there is a set that needs more playable dragons, and I am not kidding, so many unplayable crap dragons in that set). In Modern I would play it with Hellrider and a bunch of goblin tokens generated by Krenko. In such a deck you play with an empty hand anyways. By the time you cast this everything in the deck can be cast when drawn.

Embermaw Hellion: an additional hit for one is not great if you have two or three critters, but if you have six or seven goblin tokens on the field, this effect can win games. In Modern, there are many cards that hit the player for 1 or 2 under various conditions. Take Underworld Dreams (a 3 drop black enchantment that reads "Whenever an opponent draws a card, Underworld Dreams deals 1 damage to him or her.") We are talking casual Modern or Commander, of course.

Flameshadow Conjuring: as a 4 drop it will help in Standard constructed, not sure for Modern. Its only one red mana to get a copy of what you just cast. This is a very useful card, I want to play it.

Goblin Piledriver: old school reprint. Dies to Lightning Bolt, but if it doesn't die, with a bunch of goblin tokens on your side of the field you can cause some serious damage. I am not seeing enough goblins in standard, though. Maybe there will be lots of goblins in the next block. There are 14 now, but some are really heavy or not in red.

Molten Vortex: a remake of an old classic, Seismic Assault, which for three red mana can get you this effect at no cost. This one comes in earlier but is not free. Still, a great remake. I want to play this card in Standard, but I need a way to have a hand full of lands.

Scab-Clan Berserker: great as a sideboard card against blue decks. Otherwise, if your opponent is not casting noncreature spells this card is a 3 drop 2/2 with haste that can become a 3/3.

Origins Set Review: Other Rares and Mythics (White and Blue)

Hallowed Moonlight: Reanimator hate. It is a two-drop. I can see it get played in Modern.

Hixus, Prison Warden: the exile effect only works one turn, it is Legendary, and it is a 5-drop. OK, it has Flash. It reads junk rare elsewhere, and interesting build in Standard constructed.

Kytheon's Irregulars: a four-drop 5/4 after it deals combat damage to your opponent, and it taps a critter. That can be useful.

Relic Seeker: The equipment ability is similar to Steelshaper's Gift from Fifth Dawn. Its a shame you only get this bonus once. If it is possible to remove the counter and get the Renown trigger to kick in repeatedly, this card could make a really cool combo.  

Knight of the White Orchid: the extra Plains is a good ability but you have to be behind for it to kick in. Nice in a pinch, otherwise you still get a First Strike weenie that favors mono-white at even costing (2/2 for 2).

Vryn Wingmare: Nice ability on this one, the same one as on Thalia and this one is not Legendary. Very nice! I would love to have more than one of these on the battlefield with a Thalia in Modern.

Tragic Arrogance: this is a really fun card, because before you play it you can make sure you have the correct cards and your opponent may not. If you are really behind this card can slim your opponent's board quite a bit, and if you are doing OK, this card can give you the edge to win the game. As a 5-drop, it is meant for Standard. I want to play it!

Starfield of Nyx: definitely reads like the Mythic Rare that it is. As a 4-drop, I want to play this card in a Bant build, use blue to drop a bunch of cards into my graveyard (Taigam's Scheming), accelerate it with green, and if I drop it turn 3, I can have a fun game. It definitely requires a lot of setting up. Reads like a ton of fun.

Alhammarret, High Arbiter: multiplayer fun for sure. Reads like a Commander card. A seven drop that does not win the game is a non-starter for all constructed formats.

Day's Undoing: I love the way Wizards designs remakes of the Power 9. Here is the text from Timetwister:
 "Each player shuffles his or her hand and graveyard into his or her library, then draws seven cards. (Then put Timetwister into its owner's graveyard.)" 
And we can play this card in Standard with the remake of Ancestral Recall (Treasure Cruise) and the remake of Time Walk (Temporal Trespass). Awesome!

Disciple of the Ring: reads like a junk Mythic Rare. As a five-drop it will not help the flip planeswalkers that need untapping. Well, at five mana there is a long list of actions this card will not help you with... and very few in which it will. This card reminds me of Beguiler of Wills. Both cards have interesting abilities that read Mythic, but there is just too much waiting to drop the card on the battlefield and the effect is not an euphemism for 'you win the game.'

Jace's Sanctum: if this thing was a two-drop, it would be awesome in Legacy and Modern. At 4, it will be really useful in Standard. In Modern, casting a four-drop enchantment that speeds you up is good, but by that time a lot has already happened. In mono-blue with a ton of counterspells this card could work well.

Displacement Wave: the X restriction on what gets returned is limiting. This is why Cyclonic Rift with Overload at 7 is way better: it returns everything. Still, good card in Standard constructed.

Willbreaker: reads like a fun Commander card. Playing this card in Standard happens late in the game.

Harbinger of the Tides: an interesting Merfolk. Only there isn't a Merfolk deck in Standard, unless we get one out of the next block and it may well be that this card is for a later deck. If it isn't, that's a shame, because I would love to play Merfolk in Standard.

Mizzium Meddler: reads like Spellskite, which is great. Spellskite is a two-drop, and that means this card is meant more for Standard. Now if you can make it indestructible, you are able to invalidate target destruction for one of your other creatures.

Soulblade Djinn: five drop rare for late effects in Standard, better in Commander.

Origins Set Review: Spell Mastery

It is interesting that the five colors did not get an equal number of these spells. Is blue/black the 'Spell Mastery color pair'?

Guideon's Phalanx should win the game with enough creatures on the board, and outside of Standard reads like a junk rare as a seven-drop instant.

Kytheon's Tactics is a sorcery, and so you cannot use it as an instant-speed battle trick. Limited card.

Swift Reckoning: nice! comes out one drop lower than a similar card from M15, Devouring Light.

Talent of the Telepath: Never mind your opponent, in a Standard format with so many good blue instants and sorceries, I would target myself in a deck full of card draw. I like it a lot for Standard constructed.

Psychic Rebuttal: an unconditional counter spell is always good even if its only good against red and black decks.

Calculated Dismissal: Limited.

Send to Sleep: I want this in Modern for my Tamiyo builds. Two mana for two creatures tapped looks like a good deal.

Dark Dabbling: the key here is that this card is an instant, and that means you can use it to counter a board wipe if you are in spell mastery territory. Me likes it.

Dark Petition: nice junk rare. 5-drop tutoring is Standard-only yet it is a fun effect. You can do a lot with three additional mana. It's a free Dark Ritual if you are in spell mastery territory.

Necromantic Summons: a five-drop reanimator is great for Standard constructed. The additional counters are not that useful because you will want to reanimate something that is already really big without the counters.

Unholy Hunger: Limited.

Exquisite Firecraft: reads like a strong card if you are in spell mastery territory. Uncounterable (not a word outside of Magic) hit for four is nothing to laugh at.

Fiery Impulse: Limited. If it read 'creature or player' it would be a way to play a Lightning Bolt in Standard.

Ravaging Blaze: Now we are talking, if you are in spell mastery territory you can hit your opponent. It takes two red mana... still good.

Gather the Pack: as a two-drop this card is very good, except that dumping cards into the graveyard is a fringe effect in mono-green. This card should be great with the black/green elves in this set.

Nissa's Pilgrimage: Nissa is in the name, and that is quite the hint, but as a three-drop it may not help with a Nissa flip... Limited?

Origins Set Review: Elves and the Multicolored Cycle

Because there is an elf in the multicolor cycle, I combined these two groups of cards.

Clearly elves is the creature type for the Black/Green color pair for Origins, and it may even be a limited archetype, although pulling so many elves out of a limited pool may be a stretch. There are 13 elves in this set, and that is just super awesome! I am not going to discuss each card, but I plan to build this deck. The most notable card is the uncommon one-drop, Gnarlroot Trapper, which reads like a toned down Deathrite Shaman. Eyeblight Massacre is great as a sorcery to support Elves, but as a four-drop, it reads Standard-only. There are already some very useful elves in Standard, this group of cards is just plain awesome!

Sylvan Messenger screams 'play me in casual Standard.'

Dwynen is a Standard lord for elves, I am not sure about the other formats, which already have very effective lower cost lords, yet I like the life gain ability A LOT. 

These cards are 'casual classics' for elves. Leaf Gilder was first printed in Lorwyn, and Elvish Visionary was first printed in Magic 2010. 

The entire uncommon multicolored cycle should be the basis of ten casual decks, one for each color pair. None of these cards read like Standard or Modern staples, yet each one presents an interesting deck-building challenge for the casual Johnny in me.

Blazing Hellhound (red/black) You should sacrifice a critter that can be cast from the grave or easily reanimated.

Blood-Cursed Knight (white/black) I want to combine this card with the white/black enchantment creatures from Theros. A 3 drop 4/3 with Lifelink is a good critter in casual play.

Bounding Krasis (blue/green) It may be a good time for me to play with a bunch of Flash creatures. I have not done that! Tapping and untapping with Flash reads like lots of possibilities.

Citadel Castellan (white/green) With Hardened Scales on the battelfield, after this creature deals combat damage to a player, you have a 3 drop that is now a 5/6 creature with Vigilance.

Iroas's Champion (white/red) A 3 drop that can hit for 4, enough said. The name is suggestive of a build incluing Iroas.

Possessed Skaab (blue/black) Its a five drop... In the current battlecruiser Standard that isn't so bad. There are no limitations on which instant or sorcery you return to your hand, and that means that I want this creature to bring back another Treasure Cruise.

Reclusive Artificer (blue/red) Hello Thopter deck! This thing could be a real beater in battlecruiser Standard (its a four-drop!).

Thunderclap Wyvern (white/blue) A four-drop flying lord with Flash. Maybe make this card a friend of Bounding Krasis (blue/green) in a Bant build.

Zendikar Incarnate (red/green) Survives Lightning Bolt... it has my attention. With enough land drop spells, you could have  a four-drop 6/4... I like it. Its the only one I would play in Modern.

Shaman of the Pack (black/green) One more elf for the elf deck. I like this one the most, and I can see it getting play in ALL formats. Its pretty easy in Legacy and Modern to have a board full of elves. This thing could win games!